Indian cricket star Rishabh Pant is dedicatedly utilizing his recovery period, both on and off the cricket field. Following a foot fracture sustained during the England Test series earlier this year, the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter has demonstrated consistent progress and appears poised for a return to competitive cricket later this month.
Pant is expected to play for Delhi in the upcoming Ranji Trophy, pending a final assessment of his right foot by the BCCI’s medical team at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in the coming week.
A BCCI source previously indicated, “As of now, there is a likelihood he could be cleared by Oct 10. An assessment is due this week. It has been a long recovery for him. The BCCI medical team doesn’t want to take any chances with him.”
Pant, who had to miss the Test series against West Indies and the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia, originally suffered a fractured metatarsal during the Manchester Test in July. What was initially anticipated as a six-week recovery period extended after the injury worsened when he continued to bat the following day. However, over the past few weeks, Pant has been consistently seen training and gradually regaining full fitness.
Adding an unexpected and delightful twist to his recovery journey, Pant recently surprised his fans on social media by revealing a new talent, far removed from the sport he is famous for. In a video shared on his official Instagram account, the 27-year-old was filmed aiming at a target and impressively hitting the bullseye with his very first arrow.
Rishabh Pant shared the clip on his Instagram story (Screengrabs)
Rishabh Pant on his Instagram account
He humorously captioned the clip, “Not bad for the first try.”
Rishabh Pant hitting the bullseye
Even more astonishing to fans was Pant’s confident declaration of “bullseye” before he even released the arrow. Supporters quickly expressed their admiration for his precision, eagerly anticipating his return behind the stumps. Just a day prior, Pant had posted a clip from his training session, demonstrating his rigorous preparations for his comeback.
In that training video, Pant made a powerful statement about his recovery, proclaiming, “Got me in the corner there, but I came out with flying colours.”
These high-intensity workouts and Pant’s spirited declarations instill hope among fans that he will soon achieve 100% fitness and be ready to proudly represent India once again.
According to a senior DDCA official, Pant has conveyed his intention to participate in the Ranji Trophy matches in Delhi starting October 25, provided he receives the necessary fitness clearance. The official stated, “Pant has said he should be available for the Ranji Trophy matches in Delhi from Oct 25.”
If cleared, Pant is expected to lead Delhi in the Ranji season before India’s home Test series against South Africa commences on November 14.